Companies and Intellectual Property Commission
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| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | Government of South Africa |
| Headquarters | dtic campus, 77 Meintjies Street, Sunnyside, Pretoria |
| Annual budget | R 698.279 million (2022/23) |
| Minister responsible | |
| Agency executive |
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| Parent department | Department of Trade, Industry and Competition |
| Key documents | |
| Map | |
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The Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) is an agency of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition in South Africa.[1] The CIPC was established by the Companies Act, 2008 (Act No. 71 of 2008)[2] as a juristic person to function as an organ of state within the public administration, but as an institution outside the public service.
History
[edit]![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2017) |
When the 2008 Companies Act came into effect on 1 May 2011, the CIPC was created from the merger of Companies and Intellectual Property Registration Office (CIPRO) and the Office of Company and Intellectual Property Enforcement (OCIPE).[3]
The first months of operation were marked by inefficiency, poor service and large backlogs as the organisation struggled to overcome the legacy of its dysfunctional predecessor, CIPRO.[4]
In April 2013 it was described as "groaning under its own burden of registration under the Companies Act"[5] and suffering from "administrative failures".[6]
In September 2014 the CIPC's new website, intended to automate several routine administrative processes, was criticised as dysfunctional,[7] followed by revelations that the site had no security measures to protect confidential client information.[8]
In February 29, 2024, the commission informed the public that it had experienced an "attempted" security breach and that the personal information of clients and employees had been compromised. The information includes the names and addresses of the registered clients.In a media briefing, South Africa's Information Regulator has launched an independent investigation into the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) following a security breach in its systems. The regulator stated that it had received reports that the perpetrators who hacked the system were still in the CIPC IT environment and that the CIPC systems remained compromised. [9]
Functions
[edit]The CIPC is responsible for the following functions:[10]
- Registration of Companies, Co-operatives and Intellectual Property Rights (trademarks, patents, designs and copyright) and maintenance thereof
- To disclose Information on its business registers
- To promote education and awareness of Company and Intellectual Property Law[citation needed]
- To promote compliance with relevant legislation
- Efficiently and effectively enforce relevant legislation
- Monitor compliance with, and contraventions of financial reporting standards, and make recommendations thereto to the Financial Reporting Standards Council (FRSC)
- Licensing of Business rescue practitioners
- Report, research and advise the Minister on matters of national policy relating to company and intellectual property law.
- Mandates iXBRL format to drive the digital financial reporting.[11]
- Domain registration as of 2024.
References
[edit]- ^ "Companies and Intellectual Property Commission". Thedti.gov.za. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
- ^ "COMPANIES ACT 71 OF 2008" (PDF). justice.gov.za.
- ^ "Services - Company Secretarial". SumTotal.co.za. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
- ^ Terblanche, Barrie (2 September 2011). "Haunted by Cipro's ghost". The M&G Online. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
- ^ Vegter, Ivo (30 April 2013). "Business Licensing Bill: An indefensible defence | Daily Maverick". www.dailymaverick.co.za. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
- ^ Vegter, Ivo (16 April 2013). "The Big Business Bribery Bill | Daily Maverick". www.dailymaverick.co.za. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
- ^ Pikoli, Phumlani (30 September 2014). "New CIPC website under fire". Eywitness News. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
- ^ "New CIPC website exposes private information: complaint". Mybroadband.co.za. 8 October 2014. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
- ^ "South Africa's regulator launches investigation into CIPC after a system breach". 27 March 2024. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ "Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC): eServices". Eservices.cipc.co.za. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
- ^ CIPC. "The CIPC pioneered digital financial reporting in South Africa". CFO South Africa. Retrieved 24 May 2021.